Perceived functional disabilities among rheumatoid arthritis patients

The aim of this study was to determine from patient perspective the most relevant physical functions when estimating the functional disabilities, and to estimate the perceived relative influence of them. Structured telephone interviews were conducted among 143 RA patients. The subjects were asked to name functions and activities in their everyday life, which were affected by RA. After this, they were asked to score each of the named item with a scale from 0 to 100. These were combined with earlier collected data on sociodemographic background and clinical status. Listed activities were grouped to functional disabilities and further categorized according to joints, limbs and body areas. One or more functional disabilities affecting everyday life because of RA was mentioned by 87.4%, altogether 354 mentions. The most commonly mentioned disabilities were walking and opening jars. However, the most commonly mentioned disabilities were not those with highest perceived disabilities. Of the 59 different types of disabilities mentioned, 25 were connected with movements of the shoulder, 30 with elbow, 40 with wrist, and 37 with fingers. Movements of the back were involved in 20 mentioned disabilities, hip and knee both in 8, and ankles in 6. Disabilities related to lower extremity functions were considered most disabling. In conclusion, to describe RA patients' functional disability, the measured functions should be those which the patients themselves consider relevant and causing disability. Furthermore, the studied functional measures ought to be weighted according to the relative influence of each function to the patients.